Helter Skelter Arthur Jafa and Richard Prince
2215 Calle Corner Venezia
May 9 - November 23, 2026
Fondazione Prada Venezia
At Ca' Corner della Regina, the Fondazione Prada presents 'Helter Skelter,' a dual presentation structurally pairing outputs by Arthur Jafa alongside Richard Prince. This installation observes distinct elements constituting modern society in the United States, isolating specific visual languages that record current systemic interactions. Both practitioners rely heavily on direct acquisition methods, extracting prior visual data directly from municipal registers, print publications, and regional demographic groups.
Jafa utilizes moving pictures and still camera captures to record the physical timeline and structural framework of black populations domestically. His output systematically tracks exactly how recorded mass media forms internal historical records across generations. Conversely, Prince addresses the physical dismantling of commercial archetypes originally distributed via broad broadcasting networks. By applying altered physical formats to canvas and spatial installations, he extracts the underlying mechanics driving marketing slogans alongside standard consumer purchasing habits established over decades.
The physical layout contains projected monitors, two-dimensional canvases, carved volumes, and printed literature. Aligning these objects exposes overlapping subjects addressed by both men. The curated arrangement systematically maps out the direct correlations linking reproduced photographs with institutional control, looking closely at demographic classifications, inherited traits, and internal behavioral models. Ultimately, this combined inventory objectively outlines the identifiable structural conflicts currently operating across North American populations today, offering a clinical assessment of how distinct communities process shared visual information in parallel but highly unequal urban environments daily.